Speeches

Training

Itikaf City 2011: Day Four

Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri delivered his special address to the
thousands of Mutakifeen of the Itikaf City on the 24th of Ramadan through video
conferencing from London. Continuing his lectures on the broad subject of “Realities
of Spiritualism and Ways to Gnosis”, he spoke on “Gnosis of Allah, knowledge and
commands of Islamic law’.

Shaykh-ul-Islam said that journey towards seeking gnosis of Allah represents
a continued migration, which has various stations. This migration is very well graded
from will to repentance, to cleanliness, to obedience, then to perseverance, to
labour, to gnosis, to love and lastly to nearness ending up in meeting with the
Lord. According to the Hadith, the Holy Prophet (SAW) would recite ‘Istighfar’ 70
times, and 100 times according to some traditions, daily. Some hadith-narrators
and the Saints have interpreted this hadith, saying that the Holy Prophet (SAW)
was innocent, so what did he observe ‘Istighfar’ for? It implied that his status
would rise by 100 stations every day. This was his station of servitude.

Shaykh-ul-Islam said that the Friends of Allah work hard to attain to higher
grades of spiritual ascension because they are conscious of age constantly declining
with the passage of time, while we erroneously think that our age is on the increase.
The Friends of Allah hold the remaining time as age. He said that one must remember
that journey of gnosis does not get started in spiritualism unless one is aware
of one’s present state. Those whose hearts are swamped by darkness hardly get to
know what evils reside in their hearts, which have enveloped hearts in darkness.
So the Sufis are of the view that the first step on a journey towards gnosis is
to be aware of one’s present. When one develops an understanding of one’s present,
only then can he be worried and think of ways and means to reform oneself. This
leads one to penitence.

He said that such people who advocate the journey of gnosis without knowledge
have been called as liars in the mystic literature. Those who put knowledge at the
backburner in gnosis and talk of spiritualism tell a lie and reject the essence
of Islamic teachings. The Holy Prophet (SAW) dubbed the acquisition and understanding
of religion as the biggest worship. He said that one jurist who Allah has blessed
with knowledge is superior to thousands of saints and worshippers who are devoid
of knowledge because Satan can cause these worshippers grievous harm if they are
not equipped with knowledge.

Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri said that according to the Holy Quran,
only those people are scholars whose hearts tremble with fear of Allah. A scholar
does not become one unless he has gained productive knowledge. The Holy Prophet
(SAW) has warned against not having productive knowledge. Allah Almighty would make
a scholar and worshiper stand before Him on the Day of Judgment. The sincere worshippers
would be sent to Paradise. And He would stop the practising scholar. Such a scholar
would be asked that he has been stopped so that he could also intercede for those
whom he imparted knowledge in life and also take them into Paradise.

He said that those who have neither knowledge nor pious deeds are neither journeyer
on the path of gnosis nor spiritual mentor. They have nothing to do with spiritualism
and attending the company of such people spells disaster and destruction. It is
unfortunate that we have de-hyphenated knowledge with spiritualism. It is worth
considering that the book―Kashf al-Mahjub―deals with the subject of gnosis and spiritualism
but starts off with chapter on knowledge, for the sum and substance of spiritualism
is to inculcate fear of Allah. None can be ‘Sahib-e-Haal’ as long as he is not ‘Sahib-e-Qaal’.

Shaykh-ul-Islam referred to Imam Malik (RA) who said that whosoever acquired
knowledge of jurisprudence but remained deprived of knowledge of spiritualism, became
disobedient and defiant. In the same way, he who equipped himself with knowledge
of spiritualism but remained devoid of knowledge of ‘Shariah, also ended up as atheist.
He who combined both spiritualism and knowledge of Islamic law, became successful.

Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri said that those who have regarded spiritualism as
non-Arab concept are wrong. Their concept is based on ignorance as they have not
read the teachings of the Sufis. Those who dub the spiritualism contrary to the
teachings of faith are caught up in manifest error and deviation.

Hazrat Sayyidna Usman Neshapuri who died in 298 h and is one of the founders
of spiritualism, says that he who allowed his inner and outer personalities to be
immersed in the Sunna of the Holy Prophet (SAW), Allah Almighty would open the doors
of wisdom upon him. Hazrat Abul Hassan Hawari Mamoon was one of the distinguished
Sufis. He was contemporary of Imam Bokhari (RA) and died in 230 h. He says that
he who acts contrary to the teachings of Sunna does not deserve to be taken as Shaykh
and obeyed. He should be rejected fully and comprehensively.

Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri said that considering spiritualism
as innovation is misfortune. Rather spiritualism is the soul of the Holy Quran,
the Sunna of the Prophet (SAW), the soul of the Companions. Spiritualism is a light,
which rends apart clouds of darkness and causes light to dawn. It brings the man
out of darkness of his being and enlightens him. All Sufis would reform people’s
manners and conduct and make their life better. Therefore considering the spiritualism
as an outgrowth of the Indian or Iranian context is the representation of innovation
itself.

Allama Ibne Tamiyya writes on page 87 of his book “Al-Istaqama” on the pattern
of Shaykh Shahab-ud-din Soharwardi that once he saw Huzoor Ghous-ul-Azam (RA) in
dream and he addressed Ibne Tamiyya thus: the books you have read do not prepare
you for grave. Ibne Tamiyya writes that Huzoor Ghous-ul-Azam divined his heart through
‘Kashf’. In the end, Shaykh-ul-Islam said that heavy responsibility rests on the
shoulders of Mashaykhs, teachers, spiritual mentors and their students that they
should also promote and propagate the education of spiritualism along with performance
of good deed and knowledge. Shaykh-ul-Islam’s address came to an end at 7 a.m. (PST).